Unique psychology service helps people with cancer

Not everyone with cancer can be a media
hero battling the odds with a feisty survival story, says a
Massey researcher. Dr Colette Nixon studied the impact of
therapy provided by a unique Massey University-led
psychology service for cancer patients in the Manawatū
region.

Despite numerous campaigns and positive stories in
the media about cancer survivors, for many the word
‘cancer’ means death and loss, says Dr Nixon, a clinical
psychology doctoral graduate. The psychological and
emotional impact of this has only recently begun to be
recognised, she says.

“Despite advances in cancer
treatment and continual increases in cancer survival rates,
the perception that cancer is still incurable persists,”
she says.

Dealing with the stress this causes is the focus
of a joint venture between the MidCentral District Health
Board and Massey University’s Psychology Clinic. The
Cancer Psychology Service: Te Ara Whatumanawa –
unique in New Zealand – was not only the topic of Dr
Nixon’s doctoral thesis but where she worked as an intern
while completing her research.

Her research found the
specialised nature of the Cancer Psychology Service gave
clients a heightened sense of confidence because they felt
that the therapists understood clinical aspects of cancer
diagnosis and treatment as the context for their emotions,
and had experience in helping others like them. This made it
easier for them to open up emotionally, particularly those
for whom the idea of seeking psychological help had some
stigma attached.

An estimated 30 per cent of all cancer
sufferers don't cope with high levels of distress caused by
cancer treatment as well as the disease itself. People
living with cancer face what they term the “5Ds” –
potential of death, increased dependence, disability,
disfigurement and disruption of life’s plans. Diagnosis of
cancer can include anxiety, depression, pain, depression,
delirium and fatigue.

Dr Nixon says the Cancer Psychology
Service, located at Massey’s Manawatü campus and
available free to people in the region, helps those coping
with a cancer diagnosis to manage their emotional distress
at different crisis points. These encompass diagnosis, the
start of treatment, the end of treatment, recurrence of
cancer and, in some cases, the terminal phase.

“The
transition from treatment to cancer survivor is frequently a
time when a patient’s distress levels may increase
significantly. Rather than celebratory, people may feel a
fear of recurrence,” she says.

Psychologists at the
service are trained to detect the nuances of how cancer and
its treatment affects people, she says. For example,
depression – with symptoms such as fatique, weight loss,
reduced appetite and sleep disruption – can be mistaken
for cancer symptoms. If the depression is not identified and
treated, it can result in poorer outcomes for the actual
cancer treatment.

Other issues for people with cancer
include feeling guilt and fear of being a burden to others,
potentially leading to communication problems within couples
and families.

A sense of loss can entail loss of fertility
and future plans to have a family; loss of intimacy and
sexual relations; loss of income through being unable to
work for lengthy periods; loss of identity through dramatic
changes to the body; and loss of connection to those around
them.

They may want to talk to someone outside the family
to sort out conflicting advice about treatment options, or
lifestyle changes and challenges.

“There’s no simple
formula,” she says. “The starting point is accepting
whatever it is they are feeling, reassuring them that its OK
to feel distressed, angry, sad, that it’s ok to cry. Some
people will say ‘I shouldn’t be feeling like this –
there are others worse off.’ It’s important to have
someone to express those feelings to.”

The service –
which employs six psychologists and several interns – also
caters for family members struggling to deal with distress
at a loved one’s cancer diagnosis.

Therapists she
interviewed for the study reported experiencing a deep
therapeutic connection with cancer clients because they
faced a potentially life-threatening condition, and had a
sense of urgency about discussing core issues. Peer support
strengthened the team and the service as psychologists could
review cases and strategies, says Dr Nixon, who is currently
employed at MidCentral Health’s Child Development
Service.

Hers is the second major study of the Cancer
Psychology Service since it began eight years ago. She hopes
the findings and recent increased funding for cancer support
will help with the establishment of more dedicated cancer
psychology services around New Zealand.

Clinic director Dr
Shane Harvey says the response from clients and referrers to
the service has been “overwhelmingly
positive”.

“Staff from this service are recognised
nationally and internationally for their expertise in this
area. They not only see clients in the clinic and community,
but also provide education, training, and support to
multidisciplinary health professionals in the community and
hospital,” he
says.

Reviewed by Michael HorowitzLocated even further south than temperate Noumea, Tonga’s tiny island of ‘Ata might have become the jewel of the kingdom’s burgeoning tourist industry. Imagine a Tongan resort that would not only be mild in winter, but pleasant in summer. More>>

Reviewed by Michael HorowitzLocated even further south than temperate Noumea, Tonga’s tiny island of ‘Ata might have become the jewel of the kingdom’s burgeoning tourist industry. Imagine a Tongan resort that would not only be mild in winter, but pleasant in summer. More>>

The New Zealand landscape undoubtedly is very beautiful, but so is the British one, and my attachment to this country is much more about some particular places, and the memories and emotions that in them combine, than it is about the landscape as a whole. More>>

Suzanne Aubert, the founder of the Sisters of Compassion New Zealand’s home grown order of Sisters, has been declared ‘venerable’, a major milestone on the path to sainthood in the Catholic Church. More>>

Ernie Merrick has stepped down from his position as Wellington Phoenix FC Head Coach. The club would like to thank Ernie for his contribution to Wellington Phoenix and wish him all the best in his future endeavours. More>>

60s New Zealand music Icon Ray Columbus has passed away peacefully at his home north of Auckland... Ray Columbus enjoyed more than three decades at the top of NZ entertainment as a singer, songwriter, bandleader, music manager and TV star. More>>

Howard Davis: The NZSO's adventurousness was richly-rewarded, as the deeply appreciative Wellington audience was given the opportunity not only to see a couple of Alfred Hitchcock's greatest films, but also to hear fine renditions of two of Bernard Herrmann's most accomplished film scores. More>>